Afterthoughts: Ethical Eating

After thoughts about the debate/voting on the Study/Action Issue.

Sorry that I couldn't poll our Congregation about the issues, but I tried to vote with you all in mind. In the debate, here were some of the arguments for choosing Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice for study/action, much reducing in my notetaking:

• This is an issue for folks of color; the youth also massed on this side.

• It involves choices we make everyday

• It will help us learn to talk about ethical treatment of animals

• It should garner the highest participation among Congregants, not just the activists, it will unite our collective concerns, there could be chocolate communions (my heart skips a beat!)...

So, I was won over. I thought of friends from the Congregation who I had heard express concern over these issues, especially the treatment of farm animals raised to be eaten, and I raised my orange card for a yes!

Want to know more about the issue? Might start with the proposal. And there is the article on Eating Ethically from our UU World. Also, if anyone read this who knows about the issue, please comment with some links, or thoughts!

I appreciate the focus that choosing a study/action issue gives us, especially in social justice work, which is not to say other issues are sidelined, and peacemaking continues to be on the table as it moves from study/action to formulating a statement of conscience. I need to learn more about that process.

And, I have to give the loyal opposition their voice, here were the arguments for Nuclear Disarmament.

• Not a trendy issue, but very important now and many national leaders from all camps are calling our attention to the issue.

• Too complex? No, 3 proposals for nuclear proliferation sent to Congress were defeated by grass roots lobbying, mostly by religious organizations.

• The problems are solvable, but require serious attention.

• We are in a hole on this issue, it needs attention for us to stop digging.